Chapter 4 

James storms away furiously. 

Watching his retreating figure, my vision blurs with unshed tears. Five years ago, leaving might have been my choice. 

Five years later, pushing him away is my only option. 

I exit his car and stand by the roadside, waiting for Lucas to pick me up. He arrives apologizing profusely. “Sorry I’m late, Sophie. Work was crazy.” While speaking, he helps load my small bag into his trunk. 

“I told you I could get home by myself,” I protest weakly. 

“No way. What kind of job would be more important than you?” Lucas says with genuine concern. 

I don’t argue further, settling into his modest sedan. 

As Lucas pulls away from the curb, he does a double–take. “Was that James Reed I just saw?” 

My heart skips a beat. 

“He left already,” Lucas mutters, frowning slightly. “That guy’s really made it big, hasn’t he?” 

“Yes, he has,” I smile faintly. 

“You sure you don’t want to try again with him? A dramatic reunion?” 

“He has a girlfriend now,” I say simply. 

Lucas takes a deep breath and doesn’t push further. 

He knows everything about James and me. 

He has no reason to encourage a reconciliation. 

When Lucas drops me at my apartment, I casually mention, “We should go look at plots sometime.” 

“What plots?” he asks, confused. 

“Cemetery plots,” I say matter–of–factly. 

Lucas’s eyes immediately turn red. 

He turns away quickly. “I’ve been swamped at work lately. Maybe in a few weeks?” “That’s fine,” I agree with a smile. 

I don’t call him out on the obvious excuse. 

After all, he just claimed nothing was more important than me. 

He simply can’t face my mortality. 

That night, I’m half–asleep when my phone rings. 

“Lucas,” I answer without checking, assuming he’s the only person who would call 

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12:03 PM Mon 28 Apr 

04 

me this late. 

To be honest, he’s my only friend now. 

“Waiting for him?” James’s cold voice comes through instead. 

My heart stutters with shock. 

I never imagined he would call again, especially after what I said to him today. 

I thought my cruel words would be enough to burn this bridge forever. 

“I’m on Riverside Drive. I’m drunk. Come get me,” he demands. 

“James-” 

He hangs up abruptly. 

I hesitate for at least thirty minutes before finally calling a cab. 

It’s 2 AM when I arrive. 

The street is deserted. 

Standing under a streetlight, I gaze up at the sliver of moon hanging in the vast sky. My emotions are too complicated to name, but relief is predominant. 

Relief that James is only trying to punish me. 

Relief that soon, he’ll forget me entirely. 

I turn to leave when- 

“Sophie.” 

A deep, familiar voice calls from behind me. 

I turn to see James standing in the shadows, looking like an abandoned soul. The sight hits me like a physical blow. 

In that instant, I’m thrown back five years to our breakup. 

Same street. Same cold night. 

He had begged me not to leave. 

His eyes red–rimmed as he promised he’d become famous, make good money, give me everything I wanted. 

If I could just give him a little more time… 

Back then, I was deliberately cruel. 

“I’m sick of it, James. Sick of living in that freezing basement apartment. Sick of eating ramen every night. Sick of treating meat like it’s a special occasion. I’m done. Even if you become a huge star someday, I’ll never regret walking away.” 

James had stood on that corner, watching me get into Lucas’s car. 

His lonely, broken silhouette had haunted my nightmares for years after. “Do you really regret it?” he asks now, his voice barely audible. 

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14.00 PM